Recurring concern
Failure to ensure adequate supervision of emergency call handlers
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Request correctionFirst reported 21 Jun 2017•Latest report 15 Apr 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures of supervision arrangements for emergency call handlers, including supervisor availability, access to advice, oversight of calls, review of response decisions and escalation support for police, ambulance or comparable emergency call-handling functions.
Not included
- Excludes general call-handler training, triage, recording, dispatch or algorithm deficiencies where supervision is not the shared unsafe condition.
- Excludes failures of emergency-service staffing or response capacity that do not specifically impair supervision or oversight of call handlers.
- Excludes clinical supervision of clinicians, care staff or other personnel who are not handling emergency calls.
- Excludes failures occurring after a call has been safely handled when the remaining deficiency concerns downstream attendance, treatment or investigation.
- Reports
- 4
- Individual concerns
- 6
- Date range
- 2017–2026
- Stated actions
- 10
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide sufficient scope for call handlers to escalate RCRP calls for senior professional judgment
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
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Action
Train FCC staff, supervisors, managers and wider force personnel in RCRP law, procedures, toolkits, escalation and professional judgment.
Stated by Cheshire Constabulary -
Action
Establish a supervisor and Force Incident Manager escalation process for disputed, uncertain or exceptional deployment decisions.
Stated by Cheshire Constabulary -
Action
Employ trained RCRP floorwalkers and subject-matter support staff to assist call handlers during implementation and operational rollout.
Stated by Cheshire Constabulary
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Action
Conduct live and retrospective quality assurance of concern-for-safety incidents, provide feedback and arrange further development where required.
Stated by Cheshire Constabulary
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing RCRP toolkits, structured questions, training and escalation procedures provide consistent decision-making and adequate review where deployment decisions are disputed.
Stated by Cheshire Constabulary
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Concerns raised1
Failure to review support arrangements for non-clinically qualified call advisors referring unusual cases to clinically qualified colleagues
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Publish and recirculate posters and updated guidance reminding call handlers how to recognise and respond to complex calls.
Stated by NHS England -
Action
Introduce a complex-calls training workshop for organisations using NHS Pathways, covering recognition, escalation and multidisciplinary support.
Stated by NHS England
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Individual providers are responsible for training and supporting call handlers and creating infrastructure and clinical capacity for clinician transfers.
Stated by NHS England
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Position
Existing complex-call definitions and early-exit routes were considered sound for enabling non-clinical handlers to obtain clinical support.
Stated by NHS England
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Concerns raised2
Inadequate supervision of Police call handlers
Failure to intervene in or correct unsafe call-handler advice
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
-
Position
A minor road-traffic-collision report, as initially understood, would not require supervisor oversight under existing procedures.
Stated by Wiltshire Police
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Position
Routine monitoring of every call is not achievable because supervisors have other responsibilities and the control room manages numerous live incidents.
Stated by Wiltshire Police
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Concerns raised2
Insufficient availability of Clinical Supervisors to advise call handlers on appropriate responses
Failure to provide constant clinical oversight of all emergency reports
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
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Action
Put funding in place to recruit ten additional clinicians.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Review clinicians’ rota arrangements to align availability with demand by time and day.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Introduce a cross-hub hunt group enabling EMAs to obtain support from available clinicians.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Add major blood loss categories to the Clinical Supervisors’ Escalation Report.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
EMAs are not completely reliant on NHS Pathways because clinical escalation, local guidance and supervisory review provide additional safeguards.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Data last updated 7 September 2026